Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

The helicopter's rotors were deafeningly loud.

Inside the cabin, six people sat huddled on the folding seats on either side, no one speaking. Each face was weary, their clothes stained with dried blood and mud, their eyes vacant as they stared out the window at the receding Qinling Mountains.

The last rays of the setting sun shone in from the west, turning the cabin a dark red.

Kun leaned against the bulkhead, his finger swiping across his phone screen—his phone had been out of signal in the tomb, but now it finally had one. He opened his social media app, and a notification popped up on the homepage: "Kun Returns Safely! Tomb Expedition Livestream Sets Record!"

He opened his account.

His latest post was before he went into the mountains; in the photo, he's wearing trendy clothes and flashing a peace sign at the camera. The comment section is exploding; the latest comments are all like:

"My brother is so brave!"

"Iron Mountain relies on the God of War! Basketball Prince!"

"Shut up, you hater! My brother looks this handsome even when he's in a tomb!"

He scrolled down and saw several different voices:

"Three people died during this live stream, and you're still laughing?"

"Celebrities going to tombs is just for show."

"Kun Family Army brainwashed fans"

He turned off his phone and looked out the porthole.

As night fell, the mountains became dark silhouettes. He remembered the way those red-eyed corpses pounced on him, the gruesome sight of Liu Desheng's neck being bitten through, and Xie Linyuan's figure flashing with sword light.

His hands trembled slightly.

But soon, he took a deep breath, turned on the front camera, tidied his hair, wiped his face, and forced a smile.

Click.

Selfie.

Caption: "Returned safely. Thank you everyone for your concern. Some experiences are unforgettable. #TombExploration#"

Click send.

Five seconds later, the number of likes exceeded 10,000.

He sighed in relief, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes. His fingers unconsciously began to gesture—it was the motion of dribbling a basketball, followed by a sideways shoulder thrust.

Iron Mountain Lean.

Muscle memory.

Chen Man glanced at him, then turned back to gaze out the window. Her eyes were still swollen, and she clutched a handkerchief tightly in her hand—the one Wang Yihan had given her. She remembered Zhou Hao's screams as he fell, Xu Jiashu's pierced chest, and those red-eyed corpses…

She covered her mouth, trying her best not to cry out.

Wang Yihan put her arm around her shoulder and whispered, "It's all in the past."

Lin Guoce sat near the hatch, holding a tablet and compiling a preliminary report on the operation. The screen displayed the death toll: Zhou Hao (triggered the mechanism), Xu Jiashu (killed by the corpse puppet), Liu Desheng (bitten to death by the red-eyed corpse). One person was missing: Xie Linyuan.

He added a note after "Xie Linyuan": "Left on his own, whereabouts unknown. Identity questionable, abilities extraordinary, recommended to be listed as a person of special concern."

Then he looked at the "Harvest" column.

Professor Zhou Xu'an was at his seat on the other side, organizing the footage he had filmed using a portable device. His glasses reflected the light from the screen as his fingers flew across the keyboard, and he muttered to himself:

"The gatekeeper clan... the Zhang family... the bronze gate... these discoveries are enough to write ten papers... no, enough to open up a completely new field of research... if those bamboo slips could be deciphered..."

He felt a sharp pain in his heart when he thought of the bamboo scroll Xie Linyuan had taken away. It was firsthand information, the most crucial information.

But he didn't say anything.

That's what Xie Linyuan deserves.

Jiang Shouyi sat next to the professor, holding the book "Essentials of Feng Shui Secrets." The cover was still stained with Xu Jiashu's blood, which had turned dark brown. He flipped through a few pages, shook his head, and closed the book.

Then he opened his backpack and took out several ancient books he had brought with him—not printed copies, but handwritten ones, with yellowed pages and neat handwriting.

He started comparing them.

As he looked, his brows furrowed more and more tightly.

Much of the content in Xu Jiashu's book is wrong. Or rather, it's a mix of truth and falsehood, deliberately including fabricated information to fool laymen, but experts can spot the problems at a glance.

He recalled Xie Linyuan's silence when Xu Jiashu talked about feng shui at the camp.

That's not the default.

It's disdain.

Jiang Shouyi threw the "Collection of Secret Feng Shui Techniques" under his seat.

Rubbish.

True Feng Shui is not like that.

True feng shui is like Xie Linyuan's – it doesn't require a compass or incantations; one glance at the mountain's shape is enough to know where the tomb is. That's the true tradition, that's the real deal.

He made up his mind.

When I get back, I need to start studying again. I need to dig out all the old books passed down in my family and study them carefully. I can't keep being a half-baked expert.

The helicopter flew for two hours before landing at a military airfield on the outskirts of Kyoto.

The hatch opened, and blinding searchlights shone in. A large crowd had already gathered outside: reporters, medical staff, officials, and fans of Kun Ge and Chen Man.

"Brother Kun! Brother Kun!"

"Manman! Look here!"

"Sister Yihan!"

The flashes went off in a blur.

Kun was the first to get off the plane. He straightened his collar, flashed his signature smile, and waved to the fans. Several bodyguards immediately surrounded him, escorting him out.

The reporter held out the microphone:

"Brother Kun, what were your impressions of this tomb raiding trip?"

"I heard three people died. Are you scared?"

Why didn't Mr. Xie Linyuan come back with us?

Kun stopped and faced the camera with a serious expression.

"It was a difficult experience. We lost three of our companions, and I am very saddened. But that is the danger of archaeological work, and I salute all archaeologists. As for Mr. Xie... he was a true hero, and he chose to leave alone; we should respect his choice."

After speaking, he left under the escort of bodyguards.

Chen Man and Wang Yihan were also picked up by their respective teams.

Lin Guoce, Professor Zhou Xu'an, and Jiang Shouyi were picked up by officials and put into a black car.

That very night, the news broke.

All the media headlines were about this tomb raiding expedition.

The live stream footage was edited into various clips and went viral online. The most viewed clips included: Xie Linyuan kicking Xu Jiashu away to dodge a poisoned arrow, Xie Linyuan using his blood to drive away the corpse beetle, Xie Linyuan battling the green-haired zombie, and Xie Linyuan hand-to-hand fighting the red-haired zongzi…

The name Zhang Qiling became famous overnight.

On social media platforms, the topic of "Zhang Qiling" has garnered over one billion views.

The number of fans skyrocketed from over 100,000 during the live stream to two million.

Various analytical posts, popular science posts, and edited videos are flooding the internet:

A Complete Analysis of Zhang Qiling's Combat Techniques

"What exactly is Qilin blood?"

Historical Research on the Gatekeeper Clan

Where can I buy the black and gold ancient sword that Zhang Qiling wore?

Meanwhile, Kun Ge's topic also exploded.

But the directions are slightly different.

"Brother Kun returns from the ancient tomb and leaps over the Iron Mountain Lean for the first time."

In the video, Kun Ge is in the parking lot outside the airport. He takes a basketball handed to him by a fan, spins it a couple of times, then dances for a bit, and finally finishes with a "Iron Mountain Lean" pose.

The comments section was polarized:

"My brother is so handsome! He's back from the tomb raiding and immediately back to work!"

"Brainless fan, three people have died and he still has the mood to dance."

"Kun's army will always support our brother!"

"A disgrace to the entertainment industry"

"Get lost, you haters! My brother can jump if he wants to!"

……

late at night.

A high-end apartment in Kyoto.

After taking a shower, Kun sat on the sofa in his bathrobe, looking at the comments on his phone.

He put down his phone and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window is the night view of Kyoto, a dazzling display of lights.

He recalled the darkness inside the ancient tomb.

I recall that despair.

I recall Xie Linyuan's silhouette.

He clenched his fist.

Then it loosened again.

He turned around, picked up the basketball from the table, and twirled it in his hand.

Let's start dancing.

Iron Mountain Lean.

He jumped with great effort.

It was as if they were trying to shake something off.

……

At the same time.

Lin Guoce sat in his office, facing his superior.

"We must find Xie Linyuan," the leader said. "We can't let such a talented person be left to wander outside."

"He's dangerous," Lin Guoce said.

"That's why we need to keep him under control." The leader tapped the table. "Next time we're on an archaeological expedition, if he shows up, try your best to get him involved. If he doesn't cooperate... you know what to do."

Lin Guoce nodded.

He recalled Xie Linyuan's departing figure.

So lonely.

So resolute.

……

Professor Zhou Xu'an returned to the university and was immediately surrounded by his colleagues. He worked through the night organizing materials and submitted his research proposal to the academic committee the next day—"The Gatekeeper Clan and the Bronze Gate: A Study of the Hidden History of the Pre-Qin Period."

The report was classified as top secret.

But the professor knew this was just the beginning.

The real secret is still in the hands of that young man named Zhang Qiling.

……

Jiang Shouyi returned to his residence and brought out all the ancient books on feng shui, piling them up on a table. He began to reread them one by one, taking notes and drawing diagrams.

He recalled how Xie Linyuan used his fingers to indicate directions.

That's the real deal.

He wants to learn.

……

And this moment.

Deep in the Qinling Mountains, on the canopy of an ancient tree.

Xie Linyuan sat on a thick tree branch, leaning against the trunk.

Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on him.

He changed his clothes—still a black hooded jacket, but the style was slightly different. His wounds had mostly healed; the healing power of the Qilin blood far surpassed that of ordinary people.

He held a compressed biscuit in his hand and ate it slowly.

His eyes were fixed on the distance.

The system's panel appeared in his mind:

[Role-playing System]

Character: Zhang Qiling

Current role-playing level: 20%

Role compatibility: 75%

Acquired abilities: ...

He closed the panel.

The night wind blew, and the leaves rustled.

He thought of Wu Xie.

That young man who always asked "why".

I'm reminded of Fatty Wang.

That greedy but loyal fat man.

It reminds me of the black bear.

That guy who always wears sunglasses.

These people do not exist in this world.

He only has himself.

longevity.

lonely.

He took the scroll from his pocket and unfolded it.

By the moonlight, I looked at the words on it.

The history of the gatekeeper clan.

His history.

He looked at it for a long time, then put the bamboo slips away.

Stand up from the tree branch.

His night vision allows him to see everything in the dark.

He looked down the mountain.

In the distance, there are village lights.

Further away, the city lights twinkle.

This world is vast.

Very strange.

He didn't know where to go.

But he knew it was time to go.

Jump down from the tree.

It landed silently.

Then they walked in one direction.

His steps were very steady.

His back was very straight.

Like a knife, cutting through the night.

……

A week later.

Officials announced that a second archaeological expedition will be organized, targeting a newly discovered suspected Han Dynasty tomb in the southwest region.

Registration is now open.

Requirements: Experienced candidates preferred.

The news sparked heated discussions across the internet.

Everyone is guessing: Will Zhang Qiling go?

Kun's team immediately announced that Kun will participate again, showcasing the positive energy of celebrities.

Chen Man and Wang Yihan's team are still considering it.

Lin Guoce received orders: lead the team.

Professor Zhou Xu'an and Jiang Shouyi volunteered.

And this moment.

In a hotel in a small town in Southwest China.

Xie Linyuan sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the news on his phone.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then turn off your phone.

Lie down.

Close your eyes.

half a month later.

Ancient tomb.

Goodbye.